Spirit of the West live in Dundas Square (Toronto, 08/09/2013)

 

Nothing wrong with a free downtown concert.

A few things become quickly apparent when seeing Canada’s Spirit of the West:

1) these guys have aged but haven’t lost their edge one bit. great performers and musicians all the way through, playing the hell out of all their songs (albeit the unfortunate iPad lyric assistant)

2) they really only do exactly what they want

Their set mixed Celtic with jazz, folk.  To be blunt, a lot of it sounds like filler. Towards the end, the drummer inexplicably came to the main mic to sing a medley of That’s Amore, Stompin’ Tom’s hockey game song (as a tribute to his death earlier this year) and another bad cover which he himself described as a “mountain of crap”.  And it kind of was… it felt like a tacky wedding all of a sudden.

I went in thinking they had about two good songs.  I came out thinking they had two and a half.  But boy did Home For A Rest kill the room.  That’s what I came for.  And I got way more than I wanted.  And most of us would die happy knowing we did one thing that can light up a room.

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#FastSong 35: If You Wanna by The Vaccines. Actually Monday’s song. But it’s like perfect.

This to me is just a perfect song. Great melody, energy, super honest and fun, and don’t get me started about that chorus! You know it’s a hit when your first thought is how awesome it would be to hit the bars with that guy after a break up.

Wow life moves fast… until you hit a US border and there’s a hold up because you don’t have the right paperwork for your vehicle. Then life comes to a mind numbing halt. Still, made an awesome new friend in the quaint, sexy enclave of Lewiston, NY (it’s not sexy) and am finally glad to be back in Toronto.

Is it me, or are the people at Walmart more helpful now? Anything else change while I was gone?

#FastSong 33: Uncontrollable Urge (Live) by Devo. If this was brand new you would line up to see it.

If this doesn’t put you into party mode nothing on this planet will! My friends put me on a retro kick, reminding me of all the amazing performances in the movie “Urgh! A Music War”. Devo, being one of the early breakthrough new wave acts, really explodes with awesomeness in this timeless tribute to passion and restraint.

People who bitch about the post digital entertainment industry really need to take a look at this performance. While it’s hard to get noticed in the music scene today, this band, this song, this stage show should remind you of where the bar is at in any given decade. What I mean is, Devo created something completely irresistible. And timeless! If a band looking like this hit LA this week they would explode.

So that’s today’s lesson… don’t be average, don’t mail it in. Be great on every level. And for God’s sake send me requests. Name a song or a performance that is perfect on every level.

#FastSong 31: My Heart by Smith Westerns. This song totally pulling at my heartstrings.

Just pulled into Amarillo, TX! How can it be that this song from Smith Westerns feels totally perfect in this setting? Am I crazy or does this have a cowboy vibe?

According to their Wiki page, my instincts are totally off. They call themselves Brit Pop and list Bowie and T. Rex as their influences. However, I’m sure it’s no accident that the band name sounds a lot like a fire arm manufacturer, so I am running with this one.

Plus, I’ve been on the road by myself for three whole days and I am really feeling that lonely cowboy yearning. Help me! Write me love and encouragement below. Tell me I am not alone!

More pictures and fun from R66 on the way!

#FastSong 27: Can’t Find Entrance by Those Dancing Days. Press play and you’ll feel awesome I guarantee it.

I am actually grateful that I have so few followers after yesterday’s posting! It was just plain long winded and obnoxious. Sorry for sounding like such a dick! The Clash were awesome and just because their message wasn’t North America centric doesn’t mean it was wrong.

Phew. I feel better. Let’s try something light, dancy, and feel-good today. From Daydreams and Nightmares, released just last year here is Can’t Find the Entrance. Tinges of The Cure, early OMD… if you love upbeat synth pop you’ll really love this record. It’s tight, fun, hooky… how do Swedes pull off melody so well?

Skip the intro and go right to the 0:58 mark. And don’t look back! Make a mistake, say sorry, and move on…

#FastSong 23: Oh Well by The Demics. The best punk to come out of London! (Ontario)

Huge shout out to my buddy Jeff who sent me this super punchy little track that harks back to London, Ontario in the late seventies.

Anyone who was alive during that era and in a small Canadian city will tell you that if you had the balls to have short hair and listen to anything other than FM rock, you were pretty much guaranteed of being attacked by some drunk mustached asshole with long wavy hair and an army of fake Peter Framptons. So strong was the pull of fast, f*** you rock and roll for some that they were willing to risk their lives every time they left the house. So right out of the gate, cheers to The Demics for doing what was at the time, multiple, brazen acts of social and musical subversion.

Oddly, the vocals don’t quite rise to the excitement of the song… but the hook, the lyrics, the chants, and that awesome 52 second duration put it up there with the best seventies punk from anywhere. Too bad the band imploded after the first record was released.

So! Your mission today is to put on some of that legendary Demic courage, and get in everybody’s face with your own subversive s***! Invent something that is too good, too irresistible to bend to the will of the complacent, unbearably smug masses. I know that’s what I’m gonna do.

Were you in the London, Ontario punk scene back in the day? I’d love to hear about it…

#FastSong 21: Mercury Blues by David Lindley.

I slept really terribly last night, I am hurting over a guy, and if I ever needed a pick me up it’s today. I never, ever get sick of this track. It’s just dirty, fun, and delivers. It reminds me why I love music.

I did a little research… David Lindley did not write the song, nor was he the first to cover it, though his track does seem to be the de facto version. The clearer, more distinct melody line sets it apart from the standard blues vocal in the original Mercury Boogie released in 1949… though it’s pretty clear that the signature slide guitar hook and solos are what make it really timeless.

While the production is slick, borrowing from Billy Idol, it squeezes a lot of raunch and f*** yeah into what was at the time, a pretty dry pop scene. Anyway… though it didn’t catch on like wildfire, peaking at 34 on the billboard charts, it was pretty obvious to us smart people with taste that we were hearing an instant classic.

Your comments are always welcome except for any mention of the copy cat version from that country tw**.

Check out Mercury Boogie: http://youtu.be/3MMtW__7Xck

#FastSong 20: One Way Ticket by The Breakaways. Score!!

http://youtu.be/9k9OV125w6Q

It feels good to be alive on this glorious Monday. I am new to the Breakaways… but if this track is any indication I love them already. Because on any given day, life is generally not about being original or reinventing the wheel… it’s about showing what the f*** you can do, and that you can compete with the best of them. One Way Ticket is great the first time you hear it. The fiftieth time? Meh… who knows if you’ll live that long. Just be good, be tight, be solid, and outbid, out play, and out shoot everybody around you. Do something fierce today! And share it with us below. Peace, friends.

#FastSong 16 1/2: The Wait by the Pretenders LIVE, from the Concerts for Kampuchea.

 

What a find!  Not only does this version BURY the studio mix, but you get the awesome visual experience of watching the old Technics starting up.   Hugs to rjciccone for posting.  I own this record, but I swear this is the only song worth listening to.  I love that Chrissie and pals showed up for just 3 minutes to just embarrass the s*** out of the other performers.

Anybody else remember this record?  Am I wrong in thinking every other track on it sucked?

#FastSong 16: The Wait by the Pretenders. Is the world a better place now that you can search song lyrics?

 

Right now I’m thinking this is the most kickass song in the universe. Like I feel like setting fire to something. There has never been a record like the Pretenders debut album, and this song is one of the best cuts on the record. I’m not gonna play d-bag rock critic. If you don’t own this record buy it.

And I dare you to pick this song as your karaoke selection. I mean thank-you internet! I spent thirty years not understanding a single word from this track.

So I dare you… give it a listen and tell me how many words you actually recognize?  (no cheating by googling the lyrics)

#FastSong 12: Forget It by Blood Orange. Proving this blog is about more than testosterone fueled anger.

 

Loving the fast yet sweet, gentle mood of this magnificent Blood Orange track, and that killer hook “I am not your savior.” “I’m Sorry We Lied” is a similarly fine upbeat offering from the same artist. The entire record is solid, with a sexy 80s feel… like good 80s, not real 80s which is mostly awful. Who does he remind me of from that era? A little bit of early The Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen… I dunno, throw me a bone. Show off your knowledge of obscure 80s bands in the convenient box below.